Ribbed-top-holding-down attachment for knitting machines



1,643,849 w. A. HUGHES RIBBED TOP HOLDING DOWN ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTIENG MACHINES Filed Feb. 12, 1926 i ll' i h v d 79 mvavfox MZZz'amflZiQyfit-F by his attorneys Patented Sept. 27, 1927.

WILLIAM A. HUGHES, F

WILLIAMS, INCORPORATED, GE NEW Y SETTS.

EAST CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO SCOTT &

03K, N. Y., A CORPORATION 01 MASSACHU- RIBBED-TOP-HOLDING-DOWN ATTACHMENT FQB KNITTING MACHINES.

Application filed. February My invention relates to circular knitting machines, more particularly to those of the revolving needle cylinder type, and comprises means for holding down fabric, such as ribbed tops, which have just been transferred from another machine and on which it is desired to commence knitting. In order to have this knitting commence properly it has heretofore been necessary for the operator to hold the ribbed fabric down by hand for eight to twelve courses until the machine has begun to knit. This is a loss of time which it is'one purpose of my invention to avoid. My attachment is practically automatic, enabling the operator to go ahead with other work without holding the fabric until one or two courses after the knitting has commenced, and it also provides more even tension on the terminal stitches which are on the needles. My attachment is particularly useful in knitting childrens stockings in which the ribbed tops have to be made on a machine separate from that knitting the plain fabric portions of the stock- Tn the drawings- Fig. 1 is aplan view showing my attachment fastened to the cylinder raising tube and the main pattern drum of the well known Scott and illiams type of seamless hosiery machine. u

Fig. 2 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 1.

The mechanism which I propose for the purpose of holding down the ribbed tops immediately after transfer from the ribbing machine, includes a clamp adapted to hold down the fabric and means adapted to open the clamp. The clamp is mounted on the outside of said cylinder raising tube on a bracket 5 fastened to the cylinder raising tube 280 beside the opening in that tube through which access is obtained to the fabric being knit. The clamp has a horizontal arm 6 on which there is aflixed a jaw 7 and a pivoted jaw 8, these two jaws being of a shape suitable for holding the ribbed top fabric without injuring same. Mounted on the fixed jaw is a short plate 9 underlying the pivoted jaw and preventing the operator from introducing the ribbed top fabric too far into the jaw. I prefer to make the inner surface of these jaws concave in order that they may contain the whole of the 12, 1926. Serial No. 87,872.

tubular ribbed top fabric and thus obtain a uniform hold on the fabric.

The pivoted jaw 8 is extended beyond its pivot point 10 and is adapted to be connected by suitable means (as a wire link.

11) to a swinging lever cam 12. This connection I prefer to make at the mid-point of the lever cam 12 which is pivoted on a stud 450. This stud 450 may conveniently be mounted on the main frame of the machine which is used to hold the lower comb or sley 451 lying above the main pattern drum 120. On the lower end of this lever cam is a pin 18 projectinga slight distance inside the main pattern drum 120 and lying in'the path of an internal drum cam 14, mounted on the inner surface of the main pattern drum near the edge. There is a spring connected to the two jaws tending to hold them together, and the parts are arranged in such a manner that the tension of this spring tends to hold the pin on the cam lever against the inner surface of the main pattern drum.

My attachment is practically automatic, is accessible to the operator and operates in the following manner.

After the ribbed top is placed on the needles by transfer from the so-called transferring, the operator places a slight pressure or pull on the ribbed top fabric, which, of course, is hanging down inside the cylinder raising tube and pulling the bottom of the fabric through the opening in the cylinder raising tube, presses it into the jaws of the clamp. If the machine is of the revolving needle cylinder type, the ribbed top is twisted as the cylinder revolves and the transferred. stitches are drawn under the web holder holding the fabric down. The twisting tends to shorten the fabric and the fabric is therefore under lengthwise tension which tends to increase as the twisting continues. The position of the cam on the inside of the main pattern drum is such that after the machine has made the required revolutions and has knit one or two plain courses, the pin on the lower end of the cam lever engages the cam with the result that the pivoted jaw of the clamp is pulled away from the other jaw by means of the cam lever and wire link 11, releasing the ribbed top. I have found that if the clamp is placed only a slight distance below the lower [iii till

edge of the'op'en'ing in the cylinder raising tube or at the lower edge of this opening, the fabric When released will automatically jump back inside the cylinder raising tube The simplicity, economy and effectiveness of the device Will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

iWhat' I-claiin is:

1. In a circular kniting machine, a fabric holding down clamp accessible to the operator, in combination with a revolving element and means operated from said revolving element adapted to open said clamp.

2. In circular knitting machine a cylinder raising tube, a fabric holding down clamp mounted on the outside of said cylinder raising tube and a spring tending to hold jsaid clamp closed, in combination with revolving means having a cam thereon, and levers actuated by the cam adapted to open said clamp.

3. In a circular knitting machine, a cylinder raising tube having an opening therein givingaccess to thelniitted fabric in the machine, and a spring-closed holding-down clam-p mounted on the outside of said tube near the lower edge of the opening in said tube, in combination Witha pattern drum, a cam on said patterndrum and means operated by said cam adapted to op en said clamp.

4. In a circular knitting machine, a fabric holding down clamp comprising a fixed jaW and a pivoted jaw mounted upon a nonrevoluble part, a spring tending to hold said clamp closed, and a plate limiting the introduction of thefabric into the clamp, in combination with a pattern'drum and means operated by said pattern drum tending to open said clamp in timed relation With the operation of "the rest 01" the machine.

5. In a circular knitting machine, a revolving needle cylinder, and a fabric holding down clamp on a non-revoluble part, in combination With a revolving element, and means operated from said revolving'elem'en't adapted to open said clamp.

In testimony whereof I name to this specification. i

IVILLIAM "A. HUGHES.

have signed my 

